It's early morning. Verago is lying in his nest, one, like many others, that's found within the canopy of a tree. His body posture is relaxed. He lies stretched out with his belly exposed, though his head is raised. He's readily awake and watches sunlight finding its way into the nest. Usually, this is an indication for him to get up. This time, however, he doesn't. Something is holding him in place. It's little Skylar. The cub lies against his father's warm belly, curled up and vastly asleep. Verago's left wing is covering him like a blanket. However, the black-and-green jaquin isn't paying attention to his son. Instead, he watches how rays of light start licking Myra's face. He sees her slowly waking up to them.
Myra looks around and notices Verago watching her. His gaze is stern, yet tired. Normally, he'd vividly greet her when they wake up, yet now he doesn't. "Buenos dias, darling. Aww, look at that. Our Skylar lying all so comfy with you. Did you sleep well?"
"Morning, dear… Ah, I slept alright. I woke up sometime before you did. Could not fathom sleep afterwards."
"In that case, let us have breakfast then. A restless tummy can stir body and mind, so let us do something about it."
"If you can fetch us some, then please.' Verago states calmly and upon looking at his sleeping son in a caring manner he adds, 'By the looks of it, I am not going anywhere soon."
"Be right back, honeybird." Myra says lovingly and gently leaves their nest to get breakfast.
When she returns, the black-and-green jaquin notices that she brought with her a surprise. Verago nudges his son. The cub wakes up and yawns. "Rise and shine, Skylar. Look who is joining us for breakfast." Verago states in delight and offers him some Anoki berries Myra brought with her.
"Anoki! I want!" little Luna yells excitedly and quickly takes the bunch of berries from Verago.
"Share them with Skylar." Verago demands calmly.
"Nah-ah." Luna refuses and moves to an empty spot in the nest where she starts eating.
"Hihi, already having a mind of her own.' Myra comments over Luna's behaviour and turns to Skylar, 'Mijo, go and eat your Anoki berries before they are all gone."
Skylar nods in elation and moves over to Luna. Even though the red-and-crimson cub declined Verago's proposal, she willingly shares one-third of the bunch with Skylar once both cubs sit together.
Shortly after both adolescents started eating as well, Luna comes over and sits in front of Verago. "¡Más!" she demands playfully with her face partially covered in Anoki berry juice.
"No… You had your share." Verago replies and continues eating.
Luna turns around. "¡Más!" she says to Myra in an attempt to try her luck with her instead.
"Already finished? You can really eat fast. But look at your face, all dirty. You look like a clown, hihi.' Myra comments heartily and licks clean Luna's small face before adding, 'But if you want more then go and ask your own parents, Luna. Verago and I have to eat our breakfast, too."
Luna groans. However, there's nothing more here for the red-and-crimson cub to be had, so she returns to her parents to try again there. A tad later, Skylar's done as well. He, too, goes to stand in between Verago and Myra. "Done!" he yells excitedly.
Both parents look at him. Myra cannot suppress laughter. Skylar's face is covered in anoki berry juice. It's less than Luna was covered with but it's just more apparent on him, given the cub's yellow face with small blue rosettes and tiny blue sideburn feathers. Skylar giggles along with his mother and suddenly says: "Play with Luna. Bye!"
He immediately leaves the nest, without cleaning himself first or Myra being able to catch and clean him. "Cubs… That was funny. But I need to go after him to clean his face as well." Myra says.
"What for? Stay and eat breakfast. You cleaned Luna so their parents can clean Skylar. A fair trade the way I see it." Verago states solemnly.
"Alright, mister general. Let us have it your way. But… This gives you no excuse to tell me what kept you awake this morning. And do not pretend to act fine because I see you still have this worrisome look over you." Myra asks curiously yet with a commanding tone to it.
"Fair enough. There is… I have this kind… Hrm, something has been troubling me. In fact, it still does. It is – a feeling. One of which I thought would subside after Skylar got acquainted with my father, a meeting I expected to be tough… And that it did. But while that altercation is behind us now, that feeling lingers still. A certain fear which I now begin to understand…"
"Fear? What fear? Darling, what are you talking about? Have you been hiding something? Verago, I want us to be honest – always. You know you can tell me everything. Whatever bothers you, please share it with me, because I do not like it if you hold something back from me."
"I know, sweetheart. I will not hold back something from you that I deem important. Never. You must know that this feeling is something I did not want to burden you with. I thought it would pass eventually. Apparently, it does not. I believe… Yes, that has to be it. It must originate from my encounter with the nguruvilu."
Myra intensifies her worrying glance at him. "You mean that monster that attacked you and Skylar? But honeybird, that was weeks ago. That fight must have been quite intense if it haunts you still. What did it do to you?"
Verago lowers his gaze, pondering. After a brief moment, he looks back up at her and says: "It is not about what it did to me… It is what it said to me. That thing and I argued in between the fighting. When I stated that Chatana would soon be caught – it corrected me. I did not think of it much back then. I deemed it a taunt. But those words keep coming back to me. They must mean something, I guess… I just cannot figure it out."
"Then why have you not seen Quita Moz about this? Maybe he can help…"
Meanwhile, in a place both obscured and unknown, Chatana is standing in front of a large stone wall. Though, it's no ordinary wall. A gloomy and dark haze flows from it, much to the sorceress' liking. On her shoulders rests Pili, a light brown weasel and highly loyal minion. He observes Chatana's doing in front of this strange wall. Chatana is frantically waving her hands in front of her body, while her wings are spread out. She's making patterns in the air that she keeps repeating over and over again while mumbling words that match this rhythm. With each repetition, she quickens these patterns. "Can you feel it, Pili? It's almost going to happen. I am getting close to conjuring my newest creation. I have nearly amassed enough power to summon something incredibly powerful!"
"Oh yeah, I can feel it. I feel it, alright! Ooh, this is gonna be a biggy!' Pili says energetically as he jumps up and down her shoulders but as the haze thickens he adds anxiously, 'I – I just hope it won't eat me… Right?"
"Don't you worry. My children obey me always.' Chatana says calmly but raises her voice as she gazes back at the amassing haze on the portal-like wall, 'I feel you, my child! Hear my words. Draw toward them! You want to break into this realm! Soon, you will stand by my side… Come here and I will nourish you. I will have your hunger stilled and your thirst quenched! Come to me and be free! Through you, I can finally exterminate those jaquins – for good!"
"Yeah! Getting rid of those pests…" Pili states excitedly.
A deep and slow growl emerges from the shadows. A dark figure, enormous in size, slowly moves through the portal and into this colourful realm. Chatana's eyes are wide-open as she gazes upon her new child. "So beautiful! Yes! Come through and stay by me… I will tell you everything you need to know!' the sorceress cries with excitement and starts laughing frantically and adds in a maniacal way, 'Welcome – to Vallestrella! All we need to do is get you out of here. This place is too cramped for you…"
"But what if those jaquins find us? You know, before this new "pet" is released? Most of them are too quick for my fireballs." Pili remarks disappointingly and shoots a few fireballs from his mouth.
Chatana glares at him for causing an upheaval. "Get a hold of yourself, Pili! We'll have enough time to finish this conjuring. I have prepared some tricks here and there that'll keep them busy for the time being. Now, stop distracting me or this will all take longer…"
While Chatana continues her conjuring, Verago and Myra now also left their nest. On their way to the Palace, they see their young son fly by. The yellow-and-blue cub is continuously giggling and holding something. "Is that – nesting material?" Myra asks feeling confused about the situation that's unfolding in front of them.
"It looks like something from – our nest.' Verago mumbles and starts yelling after his energetic son, 'Skylar! Come back this instance!"
Skylar immediately stops and hovers while holding the nesting material in his tiny paws. He looks startled as he gazes at his father, who in turn eyes him in a bad-tempered manner. Myra, however, winks at him and gestures for him to move on. Skylar displays a wide-open smile as he turns around, starts giggling again and continues flying.
This makes Verago growl softly. Again, his yellow-and-blue son disobeys him. He takes a step forward, ready to fly after him and correct him. Before he can do so, however, a white wing with blue primaries holds him back. He gives Myra a look of confusion. The white-and-blue jaquin shakes her head mildly. "Let him be. He should be able to express this kind of alacrity. It is what makes him a cub, after all. He should be doing things like this now he still can."
"What about consequences – and responsibility? The sooner he learns about this the better it will be for him as he grows up."
"You are being strict."
"And I should be. He needs to be prepared for whatever he might face. The Skyguard need to know this as well. They need that kind of structure and organisation, and I feel comfortable providing it to them. Skylar will surely benefit from this, too."
"I get it, Verago. You are a leader, it is in your blood. But leadership is more than issuing commands. You need no telling. But cubs need a different kind of leadership. They must learn through trial and error. Right now, his life revolves around playing and having fun. This is how he learns. You cannot control everything and nor should you want to. Responsibility is a thing of the future. Trust me, just give it time. Besides, look at little Luna. She is having fun as well and is taking life more serious than Skylar."
Verago sighs. The things that Myra says… It's not the way the black-and-green jaquin intends to raise his son. Then again, those same things sound reasonable. Perhaps comparing an inexperienced cub with the hardened Skyguard is not the way to go. Or perhaps it's because these words come from his mate, the one he cares for deeply. He looks into her bright blue eyes. He knows she's right. And he isn't unwilling to admit it but he doesn't take defeat well, in combat or in conversation. Feeling reluctant to say the words, Verago speaks them slowly: "I guess you are right…"
"As?" Myra adds teasingly while looking straight into his emerald green eyes.
"I am not going to add 'always' to that." he replies with a smile.
Myra sends her mate a sly smirk over his last remark. On his turn, Verago cocks his head as he looks at her with benevolence and says lovingly: "Ah, this is how I like you best."
"Hihi. Know what we can do? Go after our son and inquire about the nesting material. It makes me curious." she opts and readies herself to fly after Skylar.
"Ah, you do that. I rather join with the other generals and the Skyguard in the Palace, for the sun has completely risen above the horizon already. King Corona is probably waiting for me. Have fun, preciosa."
